Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL

The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL deals with the use, design and protection of natural and urban habitats. It develops contributions and solutions so that people can use landscapes and forests responsibly and deal carefully with natural hazards, which occur particularly in mountainous countries. The WSL occupies a leading international position in these research areas and provides the basis for sustainable environmental policy in Switzerland. The WSL is a federal research center, belongs to the ETH domain and employs around 600 people. In addition to the headquarters in Birmensdorf and the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos, branch offices in Lausanne and Bellinzona have been promoting local synergies and dialogue with practitioners since 1991 and in Sion since 1996. Since its beginnings, the WSL has taken Switzerland's regional character into account. As early as 1888, test areas were set up in a wide variety of forests to learn more about their (wood) yields. Today, the WSL manages and researches over six thousand test and research areas, including large test facilities for avalanches, rockfalls or debris flows, experiments on the effects of climate change on forests, and areas affected by natural events such as storms or forest fires.